Centralizing Analytics to Meet Organizational Demand
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
Elizabeth Stedina
Analytics in healthcare organizations can grow organically as the need for data increases, sometimes duplicating
capabilities to create capacity. Demand for comprehensive data is growing in response to regulatory requirements,
changing payment models, market pressures, and the availability of complex EMR data. Centralizing analytics is one way
to increase efficiency, reduce redundancies, and meet organizational demand.
Lessons Learned
1. Identify the right project sponsor
It’s essential to find the right sponsor. Identify a leader who is properly positioned within the organization,
understands her role as project sponsor, and has a solid understanding of the institutional data needs.
2. Involve Stakeholders
Engage key stakeholders responsible for providing analytics to the organization. Change can be difficult and
daunting, but involving the appropriate people during the planning process can help get early buy-in and lead to
a smoother transition.
3. Understand the current state and define the future state
Understand the current state by inventorying processes, tools, and people to understand the work flow, analytic
skills, and tool expertise within the organization. Determine how analysts and analytic departments interact with
the organization and prioritize their work. Survey customers to understand what they need, like, and dislike
about the current state. Review the current state against customer feedback, your strategic plan, and expert
opinions to determine analytic needs and the best way to meet them. Leverage existing skills and increase
collaboration.
4. Consider cultural implications
Understand factors helping or hindering the transition to future state. A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, and Threats) analysis is a useful tool for understanding these factors.
5. Stage the transitions
Start by aligning core groups under one leader. Maintain roles and responsibilities while developing new
processes. Create opportunities to work across multiple groups. Next, engage outside analysts and their
managers once you’ve demonstrated increased value to the organization. Conduct frequent assessments and
adjust your course as necessary.